Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-10
STONY QUESTIONS.
THE MAYORS INVESTIGATION OF The
CIrY.HALL WORK.
Five OF the stoneCutters Examined Yes
terday-What It All
Amounts TO.

The Council Committee on Grounds
and Buildings met in the Chancery-
Court room at 5 o'clock yesterday
afternoon, pursuant to adjournment
the day before, to continue the inquiry,
under Mr.. Pizzini's resolution, into al
legged errors in cutting the stone for
the City Hall, &c. There were present: {:
Mayor w. G. Darlington, who is con-
ducting the examination Mr.. Thomas
n. Kendler, chairman of the commit
tee; Mr.. Evan Snead and Mr.. Sullivan !;
also, Mr.. Netherwood, foreman OF the
work, and Colonel Cutshaw City Engi-
neer) and his assistants.
THE FIRST TEN.
The investigation began very prompt
" at the hour named and the ten stone
cutters-frstt ten on the pay-roll-which
on Monday the Mayor directed to be
brought in as witnesses were in the
hall awaiting the summons to the inner
chamber. At T o'clock, when it was
decided to suspend until this afternoon,
but five of these had been summoned
Messrs. Chris. Goldback, John Fergu-
son, John Mccullough, William Mon
roe, and William Campbell.
The committee adjourned to meet
this afternoon at balf-past 6 o'clock,
when the remaining five and the next
five on the payroll will be called.
PERSONAL.
Mayor Darlington, having been sut-
feriDg from neuralgia and fearing a
draueht might make it worse, kept on his
light-colored derby hat and used his
lightweight wooden walking-cane as a
gavel.
THE QUESTIONS.
He asked each of the witnesses the
following questions Immediately after
administering the oath Do you know
Of any stone having been altered or
any change being made in connection
with the work on the new City Hall?
When this had been answered he
would ask such other questions as the
answers might suggest, and Mr.. Sulli-
van. who was at one time a stone-cutter
on the City-Hall work, now q member
Of the Common Council. and the COM
mittee next took charge of the wit
nesses. He subjected them to the most
rigid cross examination, and very often
repeated himself, and the examination
was exceedingly long and dull.
The other members OF the commit
tee were given an opportunity to ask
each witness any question he desired,
as were Colonel Cutshaw and his as
sistants. Mr.. fnead and Mr.. Neither
wood occasionally asked question,
but the others rarely.
THE GI5T OF TT.
The evidence of these gentlemen
combined was to the effect that near
the southwest corner of the building
several circular stones under the win
dow-sill did not fit and had to be taken
down and trimmed. This was done so
that the lines from this point to the
corner might be correct as intended by
the plans. The taking down of these
and changing and replacing them
took two stone -masons, two helpers,
and two or threo laborers about
day and half. The last two wit
ncsses helped to do this work, or were
engaged in the immediate neighbor-
hood at the time, and knew it person
ally the others were engaged on other
parts of the work and only knew by
hearsay of this change being made.
DIsCOLoRA1IOSs.
It was also shown that some dressed
stones four or six-were put in the
foundation after being condemned on
account Of discolorations and streaks
not known to exist until they had been
dressed.
The cutters unanimously corrobo-
rated Mr.. Netherwood's statement that
these streaks sometimes cannot be
seen until the stone is cut, as they may
be confined to certain parts OF the
LAYER. As n rule, however, discolora-
tions can be detected by washing the
stone clean.
TECHNICAL TESTIMONY.
A great portion of the testimony was
of that character that could only be un'
derstood by or be interesting to me-
chanics, as it related to details in con
nection with the way some of the work